| Erroll Starr | |
| Birth Place: | Jamaica |
| Genre: | Rhythm and Blues, Reggae, and Country |
| Label: | A&M Records (1986–87), Asoma Records (1994) |
| Associated Acts: | Harbinger, North Starr |
| Occupation: | Musician |
Erroll Starr Francis is a Canadian rhythm and blues singer.[1] He is most noted for winning the Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year in 1989 for his single "Angel".[2]
Originally from Jamaica,[1] Starr's father was a reggae musician with the band People's Choice.[3]
Starr built his early music career in Toronto, where concurrently with performing as an R&B singer he was also a member of the rock band Harbinger.[1]
He released the singles "Holding Out for You", "The Key" and "For the Love of Money" in 1986 and 1987, before releasing his debut album Temple of Love on A&M Records in 1987.[4] In 1987, he also participated in the recording of a Christmas charity single, "A Christmas Wish", with a lineup of Toronto-area performers that also included Billy Newton-Davis, Kim Richardson, Frozen Ghost, Prairie Oyster, Messenjah, The Pursuit of Happiness, Salome Bey, Zappacosta, Arlene Duncan and Lorraine Scott.[5]
He received his first Juno Award nomination in 1986 for "The Key",[6] and his second in 1987 for "For the Love of Money",[7] and won the award for Best Male Artist at the Black Music Association of Canada awards in 1987.[8] However, he was one of a number of Black Canadian musicians who faced heavy resistance from Canadian radio programmers in this era,[3] and A&M did not renew his contract for another album.
In the early 1990s he moved to Hamilton, working as a record producer and recording music for film, television and commercials.[1] During this era he formed a country music duo, North Starr, with colleague Mike Northcott, and released his second album, From the Inside Out, on the independent label Asoma Records in 1994.[1]
He has continued to perform occasional live appearances at public events.[9]
In the early 2000s, he and his family moved to Killaloe, where they built an environmentally sustainable off-the-grid home in the Earthship style.[10]
His niece, Tasha Schumann, is a rapper who performs under the stage name Tasha the Amazon.[11]